Monday 1st to Sunday 7th February 2021

Monday 1st February 2021 - Stanklyn & Stone

I started today's visit with a walk along Stanklyn Lane and was pleased to come across a pair of Stonechats.  They were a bit of a distance up the fence line but I still managed to get off a couple of record shots.

Stonechats (Saxicola rubicola)

From Stanklyn I headed up to Heath Lane where a flock of 9 Lesser Redpoll were observed and the ever present Common Buzzard was perched up in one of its usual spots along the model aircraft field hedgerow.

Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

Wednesday 3rd February 2021 - Stanklyn

I only had a quick visit to the patch today and took a quick walk along Stanklyn Lane.  I couldn't see any sign of Stonechats in the sheep field but in the near field of fodder radish opposite the junction with Heath Lane there were 2 Brambling present feeding alongside c.300 Chaffinch.

Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla)

At Stanklyn Paddock there was little of note but for a single Rook that was posing very obligingly for photos.

Rook (Corvus frugilegus)

Friday 5th February 2021 - Spenells Valley NR

Today I popped to Spennells Valley Nature Reserve in Kidderminster to see if there was any frog action in the ponds there.  In February 2020 I counted 40+ Common Frogs there but today I had no joy.  Perhaps a little too early for that site.  Just as I was heading back I heard and the saw a flock of 38 Siskin that flew over heading NNE.  So the visit wasn't a complete bust after all.

Sunday 7th February 2021 - Stanklyn and Podmore

Today I undertook a walk around the fields between Stanklyn and Spennells.  There was still a huge flock of  1500+ Linnet present whirling around in a Starling-like murmuration and feeding on the fodder radish.  From Stanklyn I headed over to Podmore a couple of miles up the road only to be greeted by another flock of c.1000 Linnet.  That's an incredible 2500+ Linnet present in the local area.  

Also present at Podmore in a field further up the way was a covey of  9 Red-legged Partridge.

Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa)